Red Thread of Fate
by Hana no Hikari
Summary: Minato and Kushina are happily married now, but what if Kumogakure ninja strike again? Their target is not Kushina this time, but the Yondaime! My first fanfic.
1. Beginning

alright, my 1st ever fanfiction. read on then!

* * *

Chapter 1 – Beginning

"I'm off to work then. Ittekimasu!" Minato brightly bid Kushina goodbye after breakfast.

"Itterashai! Be home before dinner okay?" Kushina rushed to the door to see Minato off.

"Yes I will! And take care of yourself for a bit while I'm gone." Off he went. Kushina stood smiling and waving by the door for a while before closing it and proceeding to the living room to browse magazines for recipes and thinking what dish she'll cook for dinner.

An ordinary morning in the life of these people, connected by the "red thread of fate". The two of them have known each other since their Academy days. Kushina, "The Red-Hot Habanero," would often glare at Minato whenever she would catch him looking at her, after she beat up the boys who would frequently tease her because of her extraordinarily red hair. Minato would immediately look away, and _blush_.

_Ah, he was such a chicken back then. _But when Minato saved Kushina from Kumogakure ninja who kidnapped her (she found out that he was the only one to pick up on the trail of hair she made), she immediately fell for him and knew that he was _the one_. And her hair she once hated became her red thread of fate.

_Ah, it's been a long time, neh?_ Kushina blushed at her memories. It would be nice if she'd have the chance to save him too, however, she just can't imagine him put in danger or anything, because Minato is a skilled ninja to begin with. He's even been praised as a prodigy. No, it's not like she wanted him in danger of course…

_No, no, NO. Kushina, what are you thinking-ttebane?!_

* * *

It's a bright sunny morning and the birds are chirping quite happily among the trees. The sound of crickets fills the air intertwined with the birds' songs. It is right in the middle of summer.

Minato arrived at his office and as usual, like every day since he became Hokage, he's greeted with a sizable stack of work on his table. Trickles of sweat are beginning to form on his face, even if he had just taken a bath and gone out of the house for a mere 5 minutes.

_Sigh, this again huh. I can only wonder how this amount of work can come on my desk every day. Is it propagating or something?_ Minato can only laugh at his own unbelievable explanation for his never-ending workload. Well, he makes sure he finishes his job before he goes home, so how in the world these papers accumulate on his desk? Not to mention this sweltering heat.

_Not that I can do anything about it if I just stand here,_ he thought, walking to his seat. _Why did I ever wish to become Hokage again?_

It's a dream he had ever since he was an Academy student, no, even before that. This recollection led his thoughts back to the Academy, where he met this girl from the ruined Uzushiogakure. He had overheard some Academy teachers talk about her on his way to the classroom. She had shouted her name during her introduction…

* * *

"**UZUMAKI KUSHINA, DATTEBANE!**"

_"Dattebane"? What does that mean? And shouting all of a sudden. _he thought. This girl was going to be their new classmate. She had red hair framing her round face, which his classmates thought was weird and _funny_. His classmates began to whisper unkindly about her hair. And then...

"I'm...**I'M GOING TO BE THE VILLAGE'S FIRST FEMALE HOKAGE!**"

His classmates silenced. _What? Hokage? Well, me too! _he stood up and then, "I want to become a great Hokage who will be admired by everyone in the village too!"

And he stood there, smiling. He was somewhat glad he found himself a rival to the title "Hokage".

Not very long after that, the boys started calling her "Tomato", and declaring their disdain for the fruit / vegetable.

_But, tomatoes are good food, aren't they? I read they contain lots of vitamins and minerals... what's so wrong about it?_ he's staring in the general direction of the boys and Kushina. Then she looked at him, her eyes quickly filling with anger. One boy began pulling her hair and mentioning the Tomato Festival.

_Really... they're going too far now... I wonder if I can make a way to stop— _She had gripped the hand of the boy, effectively stopping him. And she began to beat up the bullies like there's no tomorrow.

_Sugoi..._ he smiled at the sight, totally amazed at the girl's strength. He disliked what the boys were doing to her anyway.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?!"

_She caught me looking at her! Ah, from the look on my face, she must have thought I was laughing at her! _he quickly and nervously turned away.

* * *

"Isn't that our classmate?" Fugaku Uchiha suddenly piped up, while he and Minato were walking home. Said classmate was huddled with an older boy. They were whispering to each other, in a manner one would think they were keeping a secret.

"Isn't that his brother? He's graduated from the academy already, right?" Minato replied.

_I don't like how they're talking, keeping to themselves and smirking like that. They must be planning something. What if it's about—?_

"Oi Minato!" Fugaku broke through his thoughts. "What are you doing, stopping like that? And here I thought I was still speaking to you!" Minato hadn't noticed he had stopped walking while his friend kept plodding on.

"Ah, gomenasai!" he bowed, and then, "Anno sa, sumimasen, but... I forgot something important I had to do; it will take a while, so you really should not come with me. Can you go ahead of me and go home?"

"Mattaku, you shouldn't forget things like that, Minato! Hai, hai. Jaa ne, mata ashita," Fugaku nodded and bid him goodbye.

"Mata ashita!" Minato bid back.

When Minato turned back to the siblings, they were gone.

* * *

_Ah, I lost them!_ Minato racked his brain for places they must be. He has a hunch it's about Kushina, and that his classmate was plotting revenge with her older brother. He looked everywhere: the training grounds, the Academy grounds, the alleys. He stopped for rest on top of the HokageMountain, a good vantage point.

_Where could they be?_ he scanned the village, and his eyes landed on the cherry tree field not far from where he stands. _Right, I saw Kushina running to that field many times before... I haven't checked that yet. _Settling on a sturdy cherry tree branch, he arrived just in time to hear their classmate's brother brag about his Genin status, and saying he wants to teach her a lesson for making his little brother cry. The two braced themselves for a fight.

_Shall I help her? This isn't fair after all, a genin against an Academy student!_ Minato thought long and hard before reaching a decision. Seeing how Kushina fares under the genin's attacks, even though she's unarmed, he decided against joining the fight.

_This is her fight. I will not dishonor her by helping her. I believe she can do this on her own._

His decision almost crumbled when the genin hit her in the neck with his palm, and kicked her to the ground. The older boy gripped her by her hair, and insulted her for not recognizing a "simple" jutsu and her ugly, stiff, red hair. His little brother chided along with him.

_Her hair! And, she's crying now! Those two—_

"I, I don't like my hair either!" She struggled against the boy's grip, resulting in a tug-of-war with her hair as the rope. This continued until her hair slid off the boy's grasp, not without leaving a handful of her hair in it. The boy was stunned by the act that she succeeded in executing some sort of taijutsu on the boy and pinning him down.

"But, even with hair like this, I'm still me! What choice do I have?!" all the while spanking the boy and frightening his little brother.

When she finished, she got off the boy. Then the genin threw her hair that was in his hands at her. "**OUTSIDER! **As if an outsider can become a Hokage!" before he too, ran off.

Kushina stood there for a while, contemplating.

She began to turn at Minato._ She only noticed my presence just now; she must be very upset to miss it, _he thought.

"You're not going to help me because I'm an OUTSIDER?!"

He was taken by surprise, but tried to explain.

"I—"

"I bet you agree with them too!" she yelled at him before running away.

All he can do was look at her and let her go. He promised to himself that he'll explain when he got the chance.

* * *

"Jaa ne" - See you later/ tommorow.

"Gomenasai" - Sorry.

"Mattaku" - Seriously. Kinda an expression of exasperation

"Hai" - okay/yes

SHEESH! And there you go! Reviews highly encouraged!


	2. Missing

It took so long, but here's Chapter 2!

* * *

Chapter 2 – Missing

A few years after that incident, Minato was training, along with his teammates, under their sensei Jiraiya. Minato was fidgety for some reason, and Jiraiya was quick to notice this. The team was resting under a tree after the long day of training, watching the sun slowly set and disappear among the trees.

Jiraiya easily snuck up on his usually sharp student and gave him a tap on the shoulder. Minato jumped and almost dropped the onigiri Jiraiya distributed among his students.

"Mou, sensei! You could have approached me upfront, you know," Minato said, evidently exasperated, but his mind is far and thinking of other things.

"Hm, mm. In the real world, enemy ninja won't approach you "upfront" and tell you, 'Hey, I'll be attacking you know, please ready yourself.'" A short pause. "Well, I noticed you were so absent minded during training. That's not good, you should know that. Is there something on your mind?"

"Etto, I don't know what it is that's bothering me, I just can't put my finger on it, but I feel it is something important. Do you think... you can allow me to go check on it, sensei? I'll be back for the day after tomorrow's training for sure," Minato replied, slowly, as if picking the appropriate words to use.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, then I'll let you go, the training is over for today anyway, but keep your promise. Be back here by then or I'll tie you to that post over there and I and your teammates will eat delicious food right in front of you. And be careful, whatever that is you need to do. You do know that there are ongoing uneasiness between Konoha and Kumo. You understand?" Jiraiya said in mock taunting.

_He knows where I'm going? As expected of Jiraiya-sensei. _"Hai, sensei. Arigato gozaimasu!" Minato bowed deeply before setting off.

* * *

Minato swiftly covered the distance between the training grounds and his intended destination. On the way he met Inoichi Yamanaka.

"Ano, Inoichi-san, by chance, have you seen…Kushina-san?" trying to hide his agitation.

Being a Yamanaka however, Inoichi quickly noticed Minato's absurd behavior, he was usually calm. 'Why is he so nervous? What is its connection with Kushina?'

"I believe I saw her go home just a while ago, we both came from training," Inoichi replied, to the best of his memory.

"Arigato, I'll be going then," Minato replied with as much respect as he could muster while being so shaken up. All the people he has asked so far all said the same thing, "She just went home."

_Well, alright, she might be safe at home, and Kushina can defend herself... that is, from Academy bullies..._

_"You do know that there are ongoing uneasiness between Konoha and Kumo."_

His sensei's words from earlier flashed through his mind.

_Kumo! If it's foreign ninja she's against..._

Minato's uneasiness grew more and more. No one actually saw her safely at home, and in addition to that, the threat of the enemy. He would have to check.

* * *

"No..." was all Minato could say when he reached the Uzumaki residence. The first thing he observed was that along the halls, there were signs of a chase. There was furniture lying about on the floor. Obviously an attempt to escape.

_You can't get away from just this, even with just civilians chasing you. _he thought. Initially he assumed there was absolutely no one in the compound, but with further inspection he found the servants bound and prevented from calling for help by a silencing jutsu in a closet in one of the many rooms. When asked what they saw, "White...hitai-ate... jackets... Kushina-sama..." so shocked by the incident it is all they could say.

Minato's hunch, confirmed. He swore he'd get her back by all means necessary.

* * *

Minato immediately reported what happened to the Hokage, which was then Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"**WHAT! HOW DARE THEM!** And how had they gone past the ANBU?" banging his fist on the table in front of him hard. Hiruzen visibly fumed at Kumogakure's obvious trashing of the armistice treaty, sending his killing intent out. Even Minato cringed at this display of fury. If only this intent could really kill, he would have long died.

An ANBU wearing a fox mask appeared in front of the Hokage and Minato.

"Speak," the Hokage's voice laced with vitriol.

"Hokage-sama, I am sorry to inform you that all ANBU assigned in that area are knocked out by poison. The enemy used darts to deliver the chemical."

Minato could tell the fox ANBU is shaken up by the fact that his co-ANBU are actually taken down with just poisoned darts. Hiruzen silently cursed the Raikage, and saying "You better have a good explanation for this," in his mind.

He turned to the ANBU, "Summon all jounin-level ninja and have them gather here immediately. This matter is urgent. No delays. Understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," no sooner than he said the last word, he disappeared in a puff of dust.

The Hokage then turned to the chunin beside his desk, who was still infinitesimally shaking, and calmly he said, "Minato, you could go home now. The jounin will take care of this immediately."

Minato snapped out of his trance, and said, "But Hokage-sama..."

"Hm?"

"I... I want to... I want to participate in the mission of taking Kushina back."

"Minato, I believe in your abilities, but you are too inexperienced for this. This is an S-ranked mission." Despite saying this, Hiruzen could see in the boy's eyes that he would not be dissuaded. He knew that even if he said no, this boy would still go.

"But please, Hokage-sama, she's important... not only to me, but to this village as well," Minato declared with more resolve than a while ago.

Hiruzen pondered a while. This boy is almost qualified to be a jounin after all; all he needs to do would be to take the Exams.

"Alright then," Hiruzen sighed deeply, "But you'll go with Jiraiya as a two-man cell. I'll divide the rest of them into three-man cells. And promise me you won't do anything reckless and you'll get back here with her, safe and sound.

Minato visibly brightened at the decision, but immediately his eyes filled with resolution, "Hai, Hokage-sama. I won't fail you."

Right after that, the jounin immediately filled the room one by one, and when Hiruzen was sure all of them are in the room, he proceeded to explain the situation and the plan, and then divided the teams up.

* * *

After more or less half a day, Minato and Jiraiya swiftly covered about half of the distance between Konoha and the border of the Land of Fire and Yugakure. Yugakure and Shimogakure lay between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, where Kumogakure is located. The pair easily deduced that this will be the shortest route to take, therefore the path the kidnappers will take if they wanted to reach Kumogakure as soon as possible.

And after more or less half a day of just nods, "Yes's and "No's, Jiraiya was the first to break the silence. He knew how focused Minato is on this mission, and therefore won't be the first to talk.

'Well, what? It's not like I'll be disturbing him without good reason!' Jiraiya thought, then, "Minato."

"Sensei?"

'Really, is he reduced to speaking one-worders?' Jiraiya continued, "Minato, I suggest we split up."

"What? Why?"

"Well, I thought that yes, the quickest way to Kumogakure might be Yugakure then Shimogakure, but they might decide to pass through Otogakure, you know, to try and shake us off. And old man Hiruzen didn't send pursuit teams there," Jiraiya said, and then mumbled a remark about the Hokage going senile. He went on, "I think I'll go check, while you go on the intended route."

"But Hokage-sama strictly said I should not part with you, sensei..." said Minato, unsure.

Jiraiya gave him a wink, and Minato immediately picked up what he's hinting at.

_Of course, Jiraiya-sensei is known to be a prankster when he was young after all. I guess not even his sensei and Hokage will tie him down..._

"So it's agreed then?" Jiraiya earned a nod from Minato, "Ok, off I go. Take care of yourself."

"Hai, sensei. Same to you."

And they parted.

* * *

_I have to move fast, if they make it through the border, were going to have delays with Yugakure… Kushina, hang in there!_

With his mind set on the goal, Minato went forward through his course. The sun had long set, but the full moon illuminates the forest and the songs of the nocturnal creatures filled the air. After a kilometer or two, he stopped for a bit of rest upon a clearing, with a stream flowing nearby. He drank the stream's clear water and filled his water container with the same water, all the while doing his best to conceal himself in a bush from possible enemies. When he set his eyes on the clearing once more before leaving, something glinted from the corner of his eye.

_Enemies! _was all Minato thought before he went for the nearest hiding place. He's too jumpy the last 2 days, nevertheless, he should be running by now, but something prevents him from doing so. Also, someone should be attacking him by now.

_Just to be sure, I'm going to check._

After checking there were really no enemies around, he went out of his hiding place. When he went back to where he once stood on the clearing, he saw the glint again, and proceeded with caution towards its source. He stopped and looked down upon a strand of seemingly old and ragged red thread, possibly dropped by some merchant passing through the woods.

_Thread? No, how can a worn thread be so shiny?_

Of course he shouldn't waste his time on such trivial things, but he just can't leave without investigating what this…thread is. He picked it up and on further inspection, he found…

_It's…hair. Strands of hair. Red… hair._

Minato is stumped for a moment, before Kushina's image, with her red hair flying around her, flew through his mind.

_Kushina! A trail… it must be a trail!_

After walking around the clearing about 2 meters from where he found Kushina's hair, he found another pair of strands. He figured that if he headed for the direction where the second pair of strands appeared, it may lead him to another pair. And he was right.

_Okay! Now I'll just to follow the trail she made. Kushina… stay strong, and… wait for me!_

* * *

The trail did not fail Minato. As he was nearing the edge of the border, he spotted the Kumogakure ninja and among them, a tied-up Kushina.

_Just in time..._

But he knew that wasn't all. Examining the enemies, he found...

_They're jounin! Tsk, I need a plan… hold on for a little more, Kushina._

He looked up at the cloud-covered full moon.

* * *

"Oi, stay alert. The moon is covered with clouds now, it's an opportunity to get this girl back to her village," the Kumo ninja at the right, in front ordered.

"Really... Konoha won't even know about this...'kidnapping' we did until much, much later. Those servants at the mansion, I made sure to put an extra good silencing jutsu on them, and kept them well hidden too. And we're so near to the border," the ninja to his left said.

"Besides, I heard that this girl is sort of treated as an outsider, so I think her teammates won't immediately notice she's gone," the one behind added.

_Outsider... _Kushina heard the word. If she was in a fine condition, she might be crying, that is, if she's got any tears to spill. The long journey exhausted her, and they're already this near to the border, yet no one has come for her.

_Maybe they're right... No one will come for me... because..._

Her will and her faith in the village she so loved, broken.

In an instant, one of the Kumo ninja, who guarded the end of their little 'caravan' fell to the ground with a grunt. The two remaining ninja looked back at the sound, but before they can react, one of them was felled in a second.

'Who is it? He's fast!' thought the last one of the Kumo ninja as he settled himself on a sturdy tree branch, holding a kunai in attention, after leaving the area where he and two of his comrades once stood. He had seen the enemy attack his comrade beside him, saw the enemy jump off onto the trees, yet now he found no sign of the attacker anywhere.

The ninja never noticed the bright yellow haired boy that stealthily lunged onto him with a kunai until the last second.

The Kumo ninja's body hit a tree trunk and a branch hard, before falling to the ground.

A second became his undoing.

The forest filled with the cricket's songs again.

* * *

After doing his job, Minato quietly landed right in front of Kushina.

_Did they cast a genjutsu on her? She looks out of it at the moment…_

Nonetheless, he asked, "Kegawanai?", as he looked upon an absent-minded, still-walking Kushina. Even without her captors, she unknowingly kept on walking.

But she stopped as soon as Minato stopped talking, as if his words broke through a barrier around her and reached her. She looked up.

The clouds covering the moon were blown away, and its light illuminated both Minato and Kushina. It now became clear to Minato how bad Kushina looks.

"I came to save you," Minato smiled at her, hoping he could alleviate some of her suffering, now that she's almost saved.

_Minato... _She smiled a bit, with all her strength left from seemingly endless walking, but said nothing.

_Is she all right? Kushi— _Minato was taken by surprise as the smile from her lips disappeared and she started to keel over. He covered the short distance between him and her. He was just in time to catch her from falling face first on the ground.

"You'll be all right now," he said with a comforting smile, while he undid the ropes that tied her hands.

"Hey, wait a minute..." Kushina protested when Minato started to carry her. It did not dissuade him, weak as she was.

They took off to the moonlit sky.

_How... Why... _Kushina thought as he looked at Minato, and by chance she looked at his left arm that cradled her weak legs. There on his hand...

"That's—"

_My hair..._ Kushina never thought there would be someone who will pick up her trail.

"Your hair is beautiful, so I noticed it right away."

"But you've always ignored me," she looked away from him, sort of flattered that she found someone who actually liked her red hair, which most of her classmates ridiculed so much...

_Now's my chance to explain, at last... Kushina, please listen closely..._

"Because I know that you're strong, in body and in spirit."

_There_...

Minato landed on a treetop, and continued, "But this is a fight between two villages. It's different from your other fights, so..."

"So?"

_So I came here because..._

"I didn't want to lose you."

Her mouth hung open, and then she smiled a wee bit, but that immediately disappeared.

"Even if I'm an outsider?"

_There it is again, just like a few years back... when she fought our classmate's elder brother... _Minato thought, looking back.

_"__**OUTSIDER! **__As if an outsider can become a Hokage!"_

_"You're not going to help me because I'm an OUTSIDER?!"_

He concluded that Kushina received that kind of treatment as well from other people, through the years.

"Why do you say that? You live in Konoha, so you're one of us," Minato finally replied.

Kushina's mind stopped on its tracks, she wasn't sure how to reply.

_Only a handful of people have looked on me this way... I never thought Minato is one of them... Kami-sama, arigato gozaimashite..._

Fortunately, Minato didn't want to discuss the issue any further, and is immediately on haste to return to Konoha.

_Jiraiya-sensei can go home by himself, I guess..._

* * *

"Kegawanai?" - Are you hurt?

There. Done!

Send me reviews, okay?


End file.
